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View Full Version : Steve Hooker and his pole.

Tony P
1st March 2009, 03:48 PM
Hi All,

Was on DJ 834 from Syd to Melb today. In the bag drop I noticed Olympic Gold medalist Steve Hooker trying to get his pole vaults into the oversized bag drop area.

Flight was due at 11.15am and everyone was well and truly on board by 11. The call went over the PA for Mr Hooker to make himself known. No show. We were then advised as due to passengers not embarking, their bags would be removed. I then noticed a bag of pole vaults (is that what they are called?) being taken away from underneath the aircraft. We were 30mins late and a few people grumbled, light hearted, about b**ody Steve Hooker!

Once in Melbourne, I phoned my relatives who dropped me off and advised we were a bit late due to you know who. They then told me the reason why he didn't get on. As they went back to the car park through the VB terminal, (those who know the Sydney VB terminal, once through security, you go down a set of escalators) at the top of the escalator was Steve and one of his poles stuck in the roof!

Priceless.
Sarah C
2nd March 2009, 09:53 AM
From the Daily Telegraph today - might explain what happened yesterday:

"STEVE Hooker may want to destroy Sergey Bubka's records but it seems his poles are content with an airport. The Beijing gold medallist was left red-faced yesterday when his poles got stuck on an escalator in Sydney's Virgin Blue terminal. Hooker's 5.2m poles -- being carried by Aussie vaulter Paul ``Budgie'' Burgess -- pierced the roof and took 45 minutes to retrieve. ``All of a sudden the poles we're just into the wall and then wedged into the step on the escalator and then they all started to go up into the roof and the poles started to bend,'' Hooker said. ``Budgie was a bit shocked initially. He was all covered by plaster from the roof and sort of coughing from the plaster dust. It was funny as.'' "
Tony P
2nd March 2009, 01:01 PM
Here is a pic of the damage:
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j288/fizzychops/steveH.jpg
Rhys Xanthis
2nd March 2009, 06:51 PM
At least the bulk of his luggage wouldn't be hard to find!!!
Gareth Forwood
3rd March 2009, 06:37 AM
The word 'fail' comes to mind...
Marty H
3rd March 2009, 06:44 AM
At least the bulk of his luggage wouldn't be hard to find!!!

Would have been a ***** to get in and out of a B737 hold.
Tony P
3rd March 2009, 07:14 AM
They had about 4 or 5 bags of poles. I noticed they got 3 out of the hold. There was lots of banging coming from underneath and probably a lot of swearing!
Marty H
3rd March 2009, 06:19 PM
They had about 4 or 5 bags of poles. I noticed they got 3 out of the hold. There was lots of banging coming from underneath and probably a lot of swearing!

Bag searches do that to you:p
Raymond Rowe
3rd March 2009, 07:57 PM
People are only jealous because he has some big poles.They wish they could have some that big as well.